End of Season Ratatouille

Here is another entry in the zucchini stakes–perhaps my last for this year. The little green gourds are beginning to be supplanted by their longer lasting fall cousins!

It pairs zucchini with other wonderful late-season vegetables, including eggplant, one of my all-time favorites.

This vegetable medley tastes lovely (and just a little spicy) by itself or over pasta. The formula here is meant only to get you started at the stove. If you have corn, add some kernels to the blend. If your herb garden has more oregano than basil, throw in some oregano. In short, let your garden and your pantry guide you.

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant, cubed
extra-virgin olive oil as needed
1 large onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 to 3 bell peppers of differing colors (I used purple and green because that’s what I found at the farm stand!)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
2 small zucchini cubed, or 1 zucchini and 1 summer squash
2 large or 3 medium tomatoes
2 sprigs basil
2 sprigs parsley plus chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions:

Place the eggplant cubes in salted water to soak while you cook other ingredients.

In a 4-quart Dutch oven heat some olive oil. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the peppers, pepper flakes, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and sauté, stirring, for at least 4 minutes more. Turn off the heat.

In a separate frying pan heat more oil and sauté the squash pieces for 4 to 5 minutes. Add a sprinkle of salt and throw the salted squash into the onion/pepper mixture. Drain the eggplant pieces and sauté them in q little more oil in the same pan you used for the squash. After about 4 minutes, add a tiny bit of salt, and toss them into the vegetable medley.

Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs, stir, and cook all the vegetables over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. When you are ready to serve your ratatouille remove the wilted sprigs of herbs. Place the vegetables in a serving dish and toss chopped parsley overall.

Serves 4 to 6.

I love eggplant!